Application Details

The following is excerpted from the applicant response to question #18:

"The TLD is intended to benefit Internet users by enabling Bridgestone Corporation (hereinafter referred to as ʺThe Companyʺ) to communicate more easily and effectively with all Internet users, and particularly with The Companyʹs numerous customers, employees and affiliates. The TLD will become a supporting branding, technology and services platform for The Companyʹs mission and its businesses.

The Company is a long established and well known multinational corporation, with a history spanning more than 81 years. It was founded in 1931 and has changed its corporate name twice, developing its business under the present corporate name from 1951. Its headquarters are located in Tokyo, Japan. The Company is currently comprised of a group of 340 companies, undertaking business in over 150 countries with a total workforce of 143,124 employees (as of December 31, 2011, consolidated basis).

The Company is considered to be one of the leading companies in the rubber tire industry and its related products for automobiles, trucks, buses, construction vehicles, mining vehicles and airplanes, in addition to tennis and golf equipment. The net sales for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 were up to JPY3,024,355,000,000 (consolidated basis).

The Company has established a long term, sustainable vision for the development of its business and its strong internet presence, along with technologies such as the World Wide Web and email, are central to this development. This is also reflected by The Company’s domain portfolio, of over 2,000 domains. The Company envisions that the .BRIDGESTONE TLD and the domain names registered under it will provide a great opportunity to interact online with current and potential customers and stakeholders.

The brand ʺBRIDGESTONEʺ is the name of the company itself and is a well known multinational corporate brand. This brand was established in 1931, and has continuously been used as the name of the company since 1951. The Company has registered this corporate brand in over 140 countries and⁄or trademark jurisdictional regions. This corporate brand serves to clearly remind general customers of the companyʹs goods and services.

The .BRIDGESTONE Registry will provide an Internet space, under the control of The Company, to allow for the distribution and exchange of information among The Company and its stakeholders by means of, but not limited to, websites, social networks, email and other technologies that will reside within the .BRIDGESTONE domain name space. In addition, ancillary services may be provided in relation to registration of domains within the TLD, including but not limited to website hosting, SEO, marketing and consulting services.

The Company initially intends to reserve all names within the TLD for itself, and to primarily use any of those domain names for promotional and navigational purposes relating to The Companyʹs online presence and⁄or provision of goods and services.

Eventually, though not likely for at least three years post-delegation, The Company anticipates the possibility that Affiliates could license the use of domains within the TLD from The Company. However, such licenses could only be made via contract which limits the use of the domain name to purposes specified by The Company. Such terms would be enforced via monitoring and quick action to mitigate any negative effects of any such abuse, if any. Licenses of the domain names could be revoked by The Company at any time, for any reason."[3]